I Hate Valentines Day
by the lola
Summary: Ginny hates Valentines Day. Things get a little more exciting for her when her keys go missing, and she has to follow the clues to get them back, leading her straight to her admirer! Fluff!


A/N- So this is my second entry for the **Favourite Couples Competition. **My event was 'mystery' and my prompt was 'seagull' inspiration just happened to strike today, so I hope you all liked it! By the way, Ginny is Twenty Two here, in case you don't realize. Enjoy and review guys!

* * *

"Ugh!" I huffed, rolling my eyes, and tossing my hair over my shoulders. "Valentines day. Who needs it?" I muttered, furrowing my eyebrows.

I hated Valentines Day, I hated everything about it. Ever since Harry and I had broken up four years before, all I could think about on Valentines Day was the amazing times we had on that day. Still, I'm not one to wallow in self pity, so I carried on with my day as normal, maybe with a pinch more anger. I grabbed my leather handbag, rooting through it for my keys. I realized soon that they weren't in there, and snatched it up, before furiously throwing it at my pastel green wall. I'd lost my keys! How was I going to do anything?

I stormed back over to the plush couch I'd recently treated myself too, slumped down into the snugness and accio'd my bag back to me. After a few deep breaths, I started systematically shuffling through my bag, taking each thing out one at a time and setting it on the polished wooden floor surrounding my feet. Realizing I was getting nowhere, and probably going nowhere today now either, I decided to clean. Cleaning the muggle way calmed me.

I pulled the cleaning equipment out of my bare cupboards, and tried to forget what day it was, the memories I could have been making today. I rubbed constant circular motions on the floor with a tiny pink cloth, becoming entranced by the little dark streaks left over ever time I swept it across. After an hour, I was still in the same spot, fixated on making it spotless.

A tapping at the window brought me out of my trance. An owl… All I could think was please Merlin let this not be work. I wiped my soapy hands on my black fitted trousers and ambled over to the window, persistently blowing a stray hair out of my face. As I saw the owl, I knew it definitely wasn't work. I didn't recognize the silvery coloured feathers, although it was very beautiful. Undoing the latch, the owl handed me the note, and flew away before I could even move.

_Want your keys? Better come find them. Happy Valentines Ginevra._

_?_

I was so confused. Someone stole my keys, but they were going to give them back? Could this possibly be an elaborate Valentines Day present? No. I couldn't let myself think that way, I hated Valentines Day. But I really needed my keys, and hopefully they wouldn't be far, so I decided I should go. I looked back up at the window, and the silver owl was back, clearly awaiting my reply. I grabbed a pen out of my bag and began scribbling on the back.

_Where can I find them?_

The owl is back within seconds.

_Buy me Chocoballs… Maybe we can share._

They were my favourite. I sighed heavily, before locking my door as best as I could with my wand, and apparating to Honeydukes.

The old man smiled at me wearily, obviously worn out from the Valentines Day sweet rush. "Hello Ginny. Long time no see. Need something sweet for your love?"

My features contorted into a grimace. "Definitely not. Bag of chocoballs please." On second thoughts… I wanted some. "Make that two bags actually."

He grinned, smile lines creasing around his blue eyes. "In that case, they're on the house. Paid for you. Looks like you might have gotten yourself an admirer… Here you go." He winked, and handed me the two white paper bags, along with another note. Red paper this time.

_Leave them here with the note. All of them please, or no keys. Now, the place you love the most? See what you find there._

_?_

I dropped the letter to the ground, along with the sweets. Maybe this could be fun. It would certainly take my mind off things for now… but the place I love the most? I love a lot of places, how can I be certain this person has gotten the right place? A small smile stretched across my face as I realized, the Burrow. It wasn't there anymore but it would always be home. I disappeared with a pop.

As I arrived, I knew I was in the right place. Beautiful antique carousels whizzing round with an array of dancing colours, enchanted candles lighting the place, spinning wheels, luck and chance pools, a fun house full of distorted mirrors and puzzling twists and turns. Muggle fun fairs. I'd loved them ever since I went to one when I was thirteen, with Hermione. The first and only time I went actually. How could anyone have known my obsession? I was hypnotized at the sight. I was the only one there. It was meant for me. This was made for me. Who did this? I was confused as to how anyone would know how much I loved fairs, but as excited as a child at my surroundings.

I went on every single ride, and was feeling sick to my stomach by the time I was finished, holding several toys and prizes in my arms. Suddenly I remembered why I was here, as a yellow note floated down onto my presents.

_Come on precious, leave those presents here. My present will be the best, I promise. The place you first met Harry Potter? Go there. _

_?_

I glowered, crossing my arms and letting the presents and the letter fall to the floor. It was just a stupid joke, I thought; but something was keeping me intrigued, so I travelled to the first place I met Harry Potter.

Platform 9 ¾. My heart clenched as I stood, the platform so empty and silent. No one was around, I wasn't even sure if I should be there. It felt good for a few seconds, remembering all the good things from this platform. There was nothing there though, so I was confused. Was I at the right place? Did I meet Harry before 9 ¾?

My puzzlement was soon resolved though, as a blue note dropped down to my side, nearly getting lost along the train track, but I grabbed it just before it floated away.

_Don't worry; you're at the right place. Confused? Just thought I'd remind you, you'll probably be standing here with your own children one day. You need to find the right magazine for this one to work. It's purple, one of a kind, in the first shop you find._

_?_

What a creep. I was so utterly puzzled, but amazingly entertained, that I headed straight back through the wall and to the first shop I could find, ignoring all the happy couples as I did so. Eyes on the prize Gin, eyes on the prize. I rooted through the many muggle magazines, all the same and certainly none that were one of a kind. Suddenly, a tiny purple booklet dropped out of one of the magazines I held up. I scrabbled at the ground and started to flip through it furiously, trying to find the next clue. A flicker of gold caught my eye as I flipped through again, and I pulled the pages out until I found it.

_The place where you shared many kisses. One with me, you won't remember. I do though. I'll never forget. _

?

The place where I shared many kisses… I pondered, there was a few kissing spots I liked to use, but all in Hogwarts, it wouldn't be there. Then it was if a switch was flicked in my head, the alley behind The Leaky Cauldron! Gosh how romantic, I snorted, before apparating to my next destination.

Wow… This person really wasn't giving anything away. Who could it be? I sighed. A silver letter dropped into my top. I plucked it out and began to read.

_You are as bright as I thought. Now, find the brick you scratched our names into. Don't worry sweetie, I took my initials out. Want to keep the surprise going don't we? _

The brick I scratched our initials into? I never did that. Surely not. Anyhow, I scanned up and down the rusty coloured bricks looking for my initials, to no avail. But then I remembered, if I ever did it, it would always be the bottom row so no one would notice. I squatted down on the floor, running my finger along the wall, and eventually found what I needed. I tapped it, and it fell out in front of me. A locket and a key, with a tiny note folded inside the locket.

_I hope you like it. Of course you do. But leave the locket here, take the key. Keep it safe, unlike your keys. You're a fussy one, so where can you find your favourite flowers?_

_?_

My favourite flowers. Ever changing pink petals. Magnificent things, a baby pink wax coating the stem and underside of the leaves, with a shimmering assemblage of changing colours on the upside. There's only one field in the world that grows them, and I'd only been there once. I was beginning to become more and more suspicious, this was the sort of thing my brothers would do as a prank. I rolled my eyes, really _not _in the mood for a prank. If this was all a joke, I was prepared to hex their balls off.

Yet I found myself in the field of flowers, unable to stop following this little game. I hated the person organizing this little game already, they seemed so cocky and know-it-all, but I loved them already too, for going to the effort of organizing it all…

A note was thrust at me from the inside of a recently bloomed flower.

_Don't worry, not long left now. Guess what? You have to leave the pretty flowers now. Sorry about that. I want you to go to the place you used to cry. _

_?_

I widened my eyes in frustration. I wasn't even aloud a flower! I groaned, grabbing my wand from my bag and apperating without hesitation.

This was definitely it. The place I cried when I was weak. It's a muggle café, I thought no one would have seen me here, the waiters never said anything, just gave me sympathetic looks, and most the customers looked just as depressed as I did. I sat down at my usual table, and folded out the little menu, before a small white note slid out and onto the grainy table in front of me.

_See how much I know about you? I bet no one notices you like I do. Sorry, sounding like a stalker now. I'm not good with this. Rub the key now, and you can have your keys back._

My heart got a little heavier, I liked that game. Nevertheless, I grabbed the key from in my pocket and rubbed, beginning to feel the familiar sucking and pulling of portkey travel.

I opened my eyes, smelling salt in the air and feeling wind, but all I could see was a brilliant blue day, and a small white cottage. I steadied myself, and strode over, knocking on the door lightly. Scratches appeared on the door, reading, 'Come in.' Excitement and fear were running through my veins, I never did anything on such a whim like this. Who could it be? I swung the door open.

"Zabini?" I gasped, not able to believe my eyes.

He smirked at me, looking me up and down. "Ginevra! Let's use first names, shall we?" He winked, ushering for me to sit.

"I… Why did you do this?" Rooted to the ground, I raised my eyebrows.

He rolled his eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I go to all this effort, on Valentines Day. Why do you think I did this?" He was definitely keeping the cocky act going.

"I don't know? So you can torture me? Give me my keys so I can go." I tapped my foot on the ground expectantly, heart sinking at how this had turned out.

Suddenly, his eyes softened, and he moved towards me, placing a warm hand on my crossed arms. "No, Ginny wait."

"What?"

"Look." He pointed, out of the glass walls that surrounded one walls of his house. "The sweets, the flowers, the locket, the presents from the fair, your keys, the silver owl, the whole fair is even out there. They're all there, you can go outside and have them all, sit out on the beautiful beach- I know how much you love them… Or you can listen to my story."

I scanned the area in which he was pointing, and he definitely wasn't lying. All the stolen presents, out there, as well as my favourite, the beach. A beach full of seagulls, I always loved the sound of them, and the way they always get to be by the sea. I wasn't sure if I should believe him, but he hadn't given me a reason not too. "Go on…" I sighed, sitting stiffly in a chair opposite him.

He smiled, relieved, and shuffled into the warmth of the chair to speak. "This is going to sound ridiculous. But I have loved you since the moment I saw you. I was twelve, starting Hogwarts and buying my equipment in diagon alley, and you where what- nine, ten? I loved you straight away, I didn't know it then, but I did. I brought the same sweets as you, hoping you might notice. You didn't."

I smiled. "Chocoballs."

He nodded. "Exactly. When you went to the fair, I was there by sheer chance. I wanted to know what this muggle mess of lights and music was, but obviously no one would come with me so I went alone. I followed you round, watching you as your eyes followed the lights, positively enchanted by it all. I didn't think it was possible, but I loved you even more seeing you like that."

I snort. "Ridiculous. I thought no one knew how much I loved them."

"People notice things. You never noticed me though. I remember when you saw Harry at the platform in fourth year that you'd looked at him with more and more love every time you'd seen him there. I realized that was the look I gave you. That was when I realized it was love I felt for you."

He paused, clearly waiting for a reply, but I nodded for him to carry on, my stomach was convulsing nervously, and I was speechless.

"Hm. The next part. The magazine clue. In fifth year you carried a muggle magazine everywhere with you- the exact same one, I thought it was so strange that you kept it, and I watched everyday as the pages tore and wore and it slowly came apart. I thought your obsession was so cute." He smirked.

I couldn't help but laugh at this. Then I remembered the next part, and asked nervously. "The kiss though? We never kissed…."

He started to chuckle then. "Oh we definitely did. For a very long time too. You were eighteen, and had had a little too much firewhiskey… a guy was trying to take you home, and I knew he would take advantage of you, so I pretended to be your boyfriend and helped you outside to get some air. You were so drunk that you believed I actually was your boyfriend, and you kissed me. I couldn't bring myself to push you off when I'd been waiting nine years for the moment, and I knew you would never remember. Still the best night of my life, getting to watch you engrave our initials into your brick line."

My mouth was hanging wide open. I couldn't believe I did that! Well actually I could, after Harry and I broke up a lot stranger things had happened than a drunken kiss with an old class mate. "Merlin, I was such a mess."

He raised his eyebrows sincerely. "I was always watching over you. Obsessive, I know. But it's the closest I could do without working up the courage to talk to you. The flowers were just something I'd picked up on- I knew you loved them, thought you should get to see that field again."

I flinched then at the thought of the next part. "And the café?"

"Sorry about that… I actually just happened to stumble across you there one day, and once I had, I couldn't stop myself from checking on you there. You would always be crying, or red eyed, looking weary and hopeless. I knew I could save you from it yet I sat and watched you go through that alone because I was too scared to admit my feelings. It's taken me eleven years to work up the courage to tell you this, and I'm sorry, because I'm sure you hate Valentines Day, but I needed you to know."

I was speechless. "I…I…"

"I know it's sudden, I'm sorry, but I love you. I do. It sounds ridiculous because you feel like you barely know me, but I want to be with you…" He trailed off, all his defenses finally falling.

Suddenly, I felt the overwhelming compulsion to just kiss him, it was easier than words. So I did, I kissed him with such a force that our lips became bruised and swollen. Our lips parted, and we both began to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. It felt right being there, with him.

I'd waited for my entire life to be the most important thing to someone, and it had finally happened. In an unexpected place, but love blooms from unexpected places. It wasn't going to be easy, but I was prepared to work at it forever if he'd waited eleven years.

I love Valentines Day.


End file.
